Phoenix Flight
by TerraRini
Summary: A young girl discovers she is much more than an orphan. With this discovery she learns she must make a choice. Will she choose to return to her beginnings, or will she choose to take on the future, and make her life an adventure?
1. Author's Note and Prologue

Dedication and Disclaimer  
  
Many of the characters within this story are the product of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series.Phoenix and her family are, however, my own fictional characters. Some of the events in this story coincide with events in the HP Series, and I lay no claim to being the original author of them.  
  
This story is dedicated to the group of people who have been my "Marauders." Nothing is more important than the friendship we have shared. Blessed be they.  
  
Prologue:  
  
The night was clear and crisp, the hoot of owls could be heard in the small village where the birth took place. A scream ripped through the air as the pain of childbirth became nearly unbearable for Marina.  
  
Beside the weakening woman stood a wise old man, dressed in long robes, and wearing a long silver beard. He held her hand delicately, his eyes closed as if he were concentrating on making the pain in his hand go away, but he was trying to ease the pain of her labor, however difficult it may be.  
  
"ALBUS!" spoke the middle aged midwife, who stood between the woman's legs. When Dumbledore looked at Minerva with a look that spoke of the fear they all felt, Minerva nodded. "I can't promise anything Albus" she said, as she bent once more on the task at hand.  
  
Eleven months later:  
  
Little Penny was eleven months old as she lay in the cradle in her small nursary. Her mother came into the room, and lifted her hastily into her arms, holding her tight against her until she could pass the child into her father's arms. Around her neck she quickly clasped a small chain, upon which was a circular pendant.  
  
As the door closed behind her, her father turned, and ran quickly down the road to a waiting carriage, his path lit only by a strange light the necklace emitted. The loud crash of an explosion followed them as they rushed down the road.  
  
"What now Dumbledore?" asked Greenwood. His voice had at first been releived that he and the child had escaped to safety, but slowly the sound of pain worked its way into his voice. He was no wizard. He knew so little of their ways.  
  
"She isn't safe." Was all Dumbledore could say. The child had to be protected somehow. He couldn't use the same protection on her as he had but three years ago on the young "boy who lived" Harry Potter. She had no other family. He'd known for some time that Greenwood could not protect her. He had no powers as a wizard. The only solution was to place the child in the care of someone who could protect her from the dangerous wizarding world. Albus frowned, wishing that he would not have to separate the child from her father,but it was Greenwood's fate to die within the month of an accident..so Trelawney had predicted. Less than a month was all the time he had to find a suitable place for the girl.  
  
When he asked Nymphadora Tonks to take the girl to the orphanage he had at last decided upon, where the girl was virtually unfindable until she came of an age where she was able to control her magick, Tonks nearly refused. But how do you refuse Albus Dumbledore? She obligingly dressed in muggle clothing, and made herself up to look like a stereotypical unwed mother who could not take care of her child. Anyone seeing her leave the child in the entrance of the orphanage would not know that she was the one who left her there, she would never again use this disguise.  
  
Tonks was a young wizard still training at Hogwart's School of WitchCraft and Wizardry. As a Morphagus she could change her shape and appearance at will. This was why the Head of her house had asked her to help in bringing Penny safely to the orphanage. An old wizard would look much more conspicuous carrying a toddler to the steps of an orphanage. 


	2. The House Elf and the Letter

The House Elf and the Letter  
  
Penny had lived in an orphanage since she was an infant….so long that no one knew her real name, not even herself. The head-mistress had called her penny for the sixpence her parents left with her…or whomever had left her upon the doorstep of the orphanage those many years ago.  
  
Headmistress Miquela Oryan was a tall woman, though somewhat slouched by time. She was no longer young, though she held much of the younger energy her wards had simply by their presence. She was a kind woman, and cared deeply for each child in her care.  
  
Penny had been given eight years of general teachings thus far...in language arts, history, geography, and mathematics. Excelling in each, the head-mistress had been eager to pass her on to a school that would eagerly pay for her tutoring, and perhaps send her back to teach and take over here.  
  
The day the letter came was the day that Penny decided to absent herself from the hall during mail call. She'd gone on a walk, for the first time in her life doing something on her own without the other orphans, and without the permission of the headmistress. Wandering down the road to the river near the orphanage she hiked the river bank, seeking a place to sit and think in silence without the screaming and whining of the other children.  
  
It was then, as back at the orphanage her name was called to retrieve her mail, that the house elf appeared to her.  
  
"Hello miss Penny..whatses Miss Penny doing here..by the river-edges where miss Penny is not safe, Miss Penny?"  
  
She could not help but laugh. Light brown eyes nearly the color of hazelnut cappuccino sparkled with an interest she'd never felt before. "I'm sitting, creature...what are you, and what do you here?" she asked, with a very formal air about her. This was the beginning of an adventure, and she could feel it deep inside.  
  
"I'm a House Elf, Miss Penny. Annnndd….I'm visiting you Miss Penny...'cause My Master sented me to visit you Miss Penny."  
  
She tipped her head to the side "Does your master know that slavery is not allowed any more?" She paused, and thought for a moment, her face reflecting wonder as her mind raced to make this confrontation logical. It didn't seem to be possible. "A House elf?….like….one of the fairy folk?"  
  
"Yes Miss Penny..likes one of the fairy folkses…I come to deliver you this letter from my master..Miss Penny." The house elf held it out to her in a curious manner, standing so that his feet were firmly planted against a rock, and he was forced to lean his short body over it, reaching his arm across the distance with the letter firmly grasped in his hand.  
  
"Just call me Penny. No "Miss" please?." she took the letter the elf proffered, still looking curiously upon the creature's face. Sitting back softly against one of the rocks she was touching, she unfolded the enveloped that contained the letter. Looking at the letter inside, the envelope having been un-addressed and unsigned, she frowned, before unfolding the parchment.  
  
Dear Penny;  
  
We have reviewed your school records and find you an exceptional student. We ask that you respond directly to this letter, and send your official transcript, along with an essay on your favorite past-time before the end of this month so that you may quickly be accepted into the school's roster for the coming semester. Send it via the house elf who delivered it to you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His name is Dobby, and he will be available to you until you send your reply.  
  
I look forward to hearing from you soon.  
  
Yours Truly Albus Dumbledore Professor and Head Master Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry  
  
She stared agape at the letter, then slowly started moving her gaze from the letter to the elf, who looked from her to the river...Watching the water's flowing rapids as if they were a dragon eagerly awaiting a chance to swallow the child whole. "lets please move away from the water miss Penny...pleases?"  
  
She followed him incoherently away from the river bank, and settled back down on a stump less than ten feet away from where she'd first encountered the creature. "An Essay?…Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and wizardry?…what's that?"  
  
The House elf looked at her wide eyed "It is the school of magicks..surely you've heard of it?"  
  
Penny shook her head as she thought, there was a faint shadow of recognition of the name of the school, but so faint was it that she could not tell if it was something she had actually heard of before, or something she may have dreamt in one of her many fictitious dreams., 'No Dobby, I haven't heard of it. Or...if I have, I don't recall." She stood and started pacing slowly back and forth across the pathway. "An essay?…how do I write a magick essay? Do I use some sort of wand, a special stone tablet or something?"  
  
Dobby laughed, looking up at her curiously. His freedom had ceased to have such a powerful effect on him and he had nearly returned to his normal Dobby self. "No silly, just write an essay like you does for your school."  
  
Dobby disappeared, and she wondered then that if she called to him, he'd reappear…but she had an essay to write, and a need to return to the house, for if the Headmistress had noticed she was missing, she'd be in a ton of trouble. 


	3. The Letter and the Headmistress

The Letter and the Headmistress  
  
Penny returned to the orphanage less than ten minutes later, the letter tucked into her pocket in a way that none should notice it. The Headmistress stood in the doorway, both hands folded on her hips, and glaring at Penny as she approached, "And where have you been Penny?…don't you know that we were worried about you? I've searched this house high and low, the grounds, there was no note, no nothing for us to know where you'd gone!"  
  
Penny bit her lip and looked down at the ground "I'm sorry Headmistress"  
  
This didn't seem to satiate the woman's apparent desire to be angry. "That's no excuse Penny, now you go on up to your room, there will be no supper for you tonight."  
  
Looking sideways Penny saw the shadow of the house elf, then looked back cautiously. "Yes Ma'am" she started toward the hall and the stairs which would take her to her room, when she heard the Headmistress clear her throat behind her. She stopped and turned to look at her "Yes Ma'am?"  
  
The older woman looked affectionately at the young girl. "There is a letter for you on the desk in the bedroom. Take care that you guard it carefully, that none of the other students read it."  
  
Penny frowned, then nodded, and for the third time gave the acquiescing line of "Yes, Ma'am." before turning to go up the stairs. 


	4. The Quarter Moons

The Quarter Moons: An Essay by Penny  
  
For so long as I can recall, I have had around my neck a small necklace, with two crescents, facing each other in that they create a circle. These are what I have called "the quarter moons" for a reason I do not know, but they have always been called such by me. For much of my growing up years, I studied these crescents, trying to recall where they came from, or why I have them. This memory is my favorite past-time. (I suppose what you mean by Past-time is occupation, but, well, I live in an orphanage, and all we have for past-times here are cleaning, cooking, and learning, none of which have gained my favor. I hope, then, that you do not mind my twisting the word to fit a meaning to which I can respond?) Anyway, this memory is such an one as has come and gone over the years, and I know not whether it is a child's imagination, or true memory which has inspired the events in my mind.  
I was smaller than a toddler, and so perhaps my memory was not yet fully formed to take in all of the events of the day, but I recall my mother bending over a cradle. Perhaps my own? I watched as if from a separate body, looking over the scene from the other side of a looking glass.  
  
It was only a short time before she straightened, looking at the door with a frightened glance. I recall her mouth moving, as if she spoke, but I do not remember the sound of her voice. She lifted me from the cradle just a moment afterward, and carried me to the back door. I vaguely recall being carried off into the darkness, with only the pendant about my neck to light the way...it seemed as if we two, the man who carried me, and I, were the only ones who could see it.  
  
It was upon finishing the essay, and sending it back to the Headmaster of Hogwarts with Dobby, that the finality of all of the day's events crossed her mind. She would be leaving the orphanage. One of the hardest things to remember had come so easily to her mind as she had put them onto paper. It was as if things were beginning to happen, as if life was renewing it's potential for her. 


	5. A Kitten Named Farewell

The Kitten named Farewell  
  
Penny spent the rest of her summer tending her duties of looking after the younger children for the headmistress eagerly. A month and a week passed slowly for her, as she prepared a small carrying bag with her few personal belongings. She had only her clothing and the few shells and feathers she'd picked up from the river bank.  
  
On her last day at the orphanage, she woke and rose to fetch the milk from the back door of the kitchen. Pulling the door open she spied a small box set out by the road that looked like it had been hit repeatedly by passing cars. She frowned, thinking that a box was an odd thing to see out here, being so far from other houses as the orphanage was, and so few vehicles passed that would have lost such an item. She stepped barefoot off the stairs and started walking across the back lawn and playground. Slowly she started to hear mewing, and her eyes widened as she approached the box.  
  
Lifting the side lids up over the upper sides of the battered box, she peeked in, to see two kittens, one black and cream, seemed too still to be living. With a gasp, she reached into the box to see if it would move if she touched it. It stirred faintly, appearing tired it yawned and lay it's head back down. She saw a bit of blood on it's side and thought it must've been hurt when the box was left there, hit by a car or whatever the case was.  
  
She looked to the other kitten who was mewing, and scratching at the sides of the box frantically. She lifted it into her arms, and the mewing stopped immediately. She looked into the creature's eyes and the kitten leaned forward to lick her nose. "Awww...you poor things" she said, setting the kitten back into the box and lifting it into her arms.  
  
She carried the lot back to the doorway where there had appeared two of the other children and the headmistress. "What have you got there? Where did that box come from?"  
  
"Kittens ma'am. Two of them, but one of 'em looks like it's hurt bad." she responded, looking up at the woman sadly.  
  
"Well, bring them in, we'll see what we can do." Mistress Oryan's usually strict voice was motherly. It was obvious the woman loved kittens by the softening features of her face.  
  
Penny carried the box into the common room with a trail of children following behind her, and the headmistress not far behind. The lot of them arrived in the larger room and Mistress Oryan walked forward passed the children, telling them all to go get cleaned up for breakfast, and she knelt beside the box. "Penny, lift the perky one out of there... Hold him up for me to look at."  
  
The older woman proceeded to examine the kitten closely for any signs of illness or injury. She repeated the process, though more delicately, with the other kitten. Both proved relatively healthy, but for the darker one's wound. A small cut on it's leg. Nothing that would not heal.  
  
Penny was in a dreamy state of hoping she could have one of the kittens when Oryan's voice saying her name penetrated her mind. "Yes ma'am?" she responded quickly, though belatedly.  
  
"Didn't the note from the school say you could have one pet?"  
  
"Yes ma'am!" she said excitedly.  
  
"Well then, what will you name him?"  
  
"You mean I can keep him?!" asked Penny. She was shocked.  
  
She thought about it though, and finally decided on "Farewell" as the kitten's name. "Yes, Farewell will be your name" 


	6. The Car and the Platform

The Car and the Platform  
  
Her arrival at the train station on the first of September was made a bit confusing by the platform number on the ticket that Professor Dumbledore had sent Dobby back to her with. The car that the headmistress of the orphanage had sent her in had been one of the best cars she'd ever ridden in, yet it was nothing fancy. Headmistress Oryan had spent what little extra money she'd saved to bring the girl safely to the train station, knowing that Penny had some potential, how much, she was only hopeful. Once there, Penny was on her own.  
  
Penny walked down the platforms slowly, gazing at each number carefully. The numbers increased in whole numbers. As she walked along she passed number three, number four, five, and so on, until she came to number eight. The number on her ticket said 9 and 3/4. She looked at number eight, then nine, and walked a little further until she was between platforms nine and ten. With a frown, she saw that there was no nine and three quarters. Was she at the right station? She looked over the ticket, and sure enough the name on the ticket was the same as the bold lettering that was plastered all over the station. She was at the right spot.  
  
So, how was she to get onto the platform for the school train? She turned around and saw approaching the spot where she stood a family of redheads pushing multiple trolleys. She blinked...yes, trolleys bearing owl cages, and trunks much like the one she'd had to buy. She sighed happily.. She was sure that they could help her.. She looked over the group as they approached, and among them was one boy who looked different. He had black hair that was very messy, and big round glasses.  
  
Just as they stopped, another person pushing a trolley bumped into her, and she started, looking up at them as she nearly fell, having to grasp the trunk on her pushcart to keep herself from falling over "Excuse me" she said quietly, and saw with relief that the person who had bumped into her was a chocolaty haired girl of approximately the same age. She looked just like any other person, but the cart she pushed contained those contents similar to those on the trolleys of the larger group she'd bumped into.  
  
The girl turned to look at her with an "Oh my goodness!" surprised look, and sized her up silently before speaking "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?" she asked, with a snotty sound to her voice. Penny decided right away that she didn't like her, but she had to get onto the Hogwarts' train. "I'm Penny, just Penny" she replied, "um, can I ask you, how do I get onto Platform 9 and 3/4? I cant' seem to find it" she bit her lip, and waited glancing at the other group, who were now watching her and Hermione.  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow, as if the request was the last thing she had expected. "Oh, going to Hogwarts are you? Well, what you do is you see that column there, you walk right through it. You should run if you are nervous.." she said, looking slightly different, as if her attitude had changed in just a few seconds.  
  
Not really wanting to be late, as she was sure she was getting close to being, she followed Hermione's instructions, and ran toward the brick-stone column. As she felt like she should hit it, she saw the trolley fade into the stone, quickly enveloping her along with it. As she felt the stone close around her, she went through into what appeared to be another train station, and above her on a large hanging sign was painted "Platform 9 and 3/4. 


	7. New Friends and New Enemies

New Friends and New Enemies  
  
Stepping forward she looked around and started to wheel the trolley toward the train. Once she was on the train she started walking the length of it, trying to find a room to sit in that wasn't already taken. When she finally found one, it had only one space left, and it contained two of the red haired group, the dark haired boy, another boy who looked a bit chubbier than the first and didn't wear glasses, and Hermione.  
  
She peaked in, and the conversation within the car stopped as Hermione and the others looked up at her. "Hello" she said softly, blushing as all eyes were on her. "Any chance I can join you here? All the other cars are full." she said, her last sentence said a bit matter- of-factly made her blush, hoping that they didn't think she thought she was a know-it-all.  
  
Her tone of voice didn't seem to bother any of the others as the dark haired boy said "Sure" and motioned her in. She entered and sat in the last remaining seat, and tried to occupy herself with her book Hogwarts, A History which seemed to have put a smile on Hermione's face...she wasn't sure if it was meant to be a smirk or a real smile.  
  
The red haired boy and the dark haired boy had definitely smirked and returned to their wobbly game of chess with a shake of their heads. It appeared that each of the figures would beat on each other as a piece was taken.  
  
She read silently for a few minutes, then looked up with surprise as she noticed one piece attacking another for the first time "What kind of chess is that?" she asked, and received an alarmed look from the red haired boy.  
  
He opened his eyes wide, the freckles on his cheeks seeming to stretch as his forehead wrinkled "you don't know what wizard's chess is?" he asked in surprise. It was as if it was unheard of for someone not to know. The dark haired boy looked from her, with surprise, to the other with a smirk. "Well now, Ron, when I first came to Hogwarts, I didn't either now did I?"  
  
Ron blinked, and tipped his head to the side "Well, no, I guess not."  
  
The dark haired boy turned back to her, and smiled "I'm Harry, this here's Ron. That girl there is Hermione, and that one is Ginny, Ron's little sister. This is Neville" he said, pointing at last to the other dark haired boy in the car.  
  
For a moment, she remained silent. Finally she opened her mouth to tell them her name, when behind her she heard a snicker, and a snobby sounding voice saying "Oh, look, Potter's found a new friend" he nudged her shoulder as he stepping into the car, and Harry looked at him from his seat with a great amount of distaste.  
  
When Harry responded to Malfoy, Hermione and Ron seemed to be waiting for what he had to say "Malfoy, get lost" was all he finally said. Penny turned to Malfoy, who had his wand out of his pocket and seemed to be debating if he wanted to cause trouble. When he turned to face Penny he said "So, what are you?" and she frowned.  
  
"What am I? What do you mean?" she asked. Her question was followed by a handful of laughs from the boys behind Malfoy, and a cough from Hermione.  
  
"Well, are you a witch or a mudblood?" he asked, and she noticed that his nose turned up as he said "mudblood" and Hermione rose to her feet. "Malfoy, if you've got nothing better to do, you need to get a life" she said, and Malfoy raised his wand. "Why should I listen to you filthy Mudblood?" he asked, and though she didn't know what the term meant, she reached her arm up and punched him hard in the shoulder. He dropped his wand, and cried out in sudden pain as her muscular arm left an instant bruise on his.  
  
Suddenly he looked as if he wanted nothing better than to cry "Mommy!" but she didn't give him a chance. She picked up his wand, and pushed him into his friends "Get him out of here" she said, throwing his wand out the door and slamming it as the three of them stumbled out of the room.  
  
Behind her, the entire group had grown silent. Hermione was blushing but her face showed a furious anger as her eyes had not yet left the door. Harry and Ron were very obviously cheering her on, and Ginny and Neville were both silently gaping.  
  
"You've just made a bad enemy, miss" said Harry, and before he could go any further, Penny spoke again.  
  
"Penny, if you don't mind." She looked at the door, and growled under her breath. "I don't like the looks of him. I hope I don't see much of him this year" she said, and turned back to the still silent room.  
  
"Oh, you will" said Hermione, and motioned her to sit back down. "Malfoy believes that anyone who's not pureblood wizard aught never to have been born. Unfortunately for him, there are a lot of us" she said with a smile that said she could not have been happier to make him squirm. "That's a good left hook you've got there." she smirked, and grew silent, waiting for some sort of a response from Penny.  
  
When Penny spoke, her voice was quiet, and shaking "I'm not going to get into trouble for that am I?" she asked, and it was obvious from her voice that she was afraid that she might be expelled before she even got to school. "I wouldn't have done it, but I knew that he was insulting you, Hermione, and he deserved it. I was sure he did."  
  
Hermione laughed, and nodded "Don't worry about it. If you're anything like us, you'll get out of any trouble. What year are you?" Hermione's tone suddenly changed, from slightly angry to suddenly curious.  
  
Penny smiled "First year, you?"  
  
When Hermione answered "Sixth year" suddenly her hopes fell. Penny thought to herself for a few moments after a soft "Oh" issued from her lips. That meant to her that she wouldn't be spending much time with her new-found friends.  
  
Someone spoke, and she blinked, looking around "Hunh?" she asked, and Ron smiled "welcome to Hogwarts then." She grinned. They didn't seem to care that she was so much younger.  
  
"Thanks" she said, as Hermione started, looking at the watch on her wrist. "Well, we'd all best get into our robes, we're almost there" Hermione said, and started pulling her robe out of a bag on the floor by her feet.  
  
Penny lifted the robe from her own carry one bag, and slipped it on over her uniform. The others in the car followed suit in silence. 


	8. The Sorting Ceremony

The Sorting Ceremony  
  
When the train finally came to a stop, and she had grabbed her small bag of carry on stuff, she was separated from her newfound friends. They were all above first year, and so were led into carriages, while she had to ride across the lake to the castle. Fortunately, no major mishaps occured while they crossed the glassy surface, and they were all herded into the entrance hall of the palace not long after they'd left the train.  
  
They stood in the entrance, and waited for instructions. A soft buzz went around the crowd as they stood there, until an older looking woman who wore a peaked black hat, and long dark blue robes walked out of the entrance hall. "Welcome Firstyears, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Professor McGonagall, and head of Gryffindor House. Now, in just a moment, I'll be asking all of you to enter the great hall. Please wait while everything is prepared." she disappeared back behind the door, and the students who had grown silent at her appearance, came to life again, as a loud buzz of conversation whirled through the group.  
  
Only a short time later, McGonagall opened the huge doors again, and motioned for them to enter after her. As they all walked neatly along the isles between the tables, a hush fell over the already seated older students.  
  
Ahead of them, at the opposite end of the room from where they'd entered, was a large table that ran the length of the room but for gaps on either end where those seated there might rise and walk among the groups of students.  
  
At one end was the large half-giant who had ridden with them across the lake, who seemed very frightening at first glance, but who seemed to be a little less intimidating when he was seated at the table among the other witches and wizards there. His name was Hagrid, or so it said on the small tag by his seat. Beside him, was a small pudgy woman who had plants tucked into her hair, and a wart on her cheek. This was professor Sprout, she was sure, the witch who would be teaching her Herbology.  
  
Along the line were various other people whose faces did not yet gain her attention, but there were a few on the other end of the table who caught her gaze. One dark looking wizard looked at Harry Potter with such a look of hatred that Penny could not help but suppress the anger at him that she felt. He had no right to show such enmity against a student, especially in such an important school.  
  
As she stood, Professor McGonagall had collected a stool, and a hat, which appeared to have been worn a few too many times, which she placed upon the seat of the stool, and waited in silence, hands folded in front of her.  
  
Penny gasped as the Sorting Hat began it's song.  
  
A thousand years or more ago, When I was newly made there lived four magic men whose names are often said Bold Gryffindoor from wild moor Fair Ravenclaw from glen sweet hufflepuff from valley broad shrewd slytherin from fen.  
They all sought to teach the youth the things that they all knew to educate young sorcerers So they knew what to do Now each of these four founders formed their own house, for each did value different virtues in the ones they had to teach Courageous were the Gryffindors who settled in the school and Ravenclaws the cleverest would always follow rules The Slytherins were full of lust for power they might gain and Hufflepuffs would always work to reach their goals again While still alive they did divide their favorites from the croud yet how to pick the worthy ones, when they were not around?  
'Twas Gryffindor who found the way he pulled me off his top the founders put some brains in me so I could choose the lot now slip me snug about your head I've never placed amiss I'll have a look inside your skull and put you where you fit!  
  
Penny could not help but look dumbfounded, along with half of the other first years standing there waiting for instructions. Professor McGonagall silenced the round of applause that erupted from the older students at their various tables, with her orders.  
  
"No, each of your names will be called off. As you hear your name, you are to step forward and sit on the stool, placing the Sorting Hat upon your head. It will then sort you into your house, where you will spend the rest of your time here at Hogwarts."  
  
With another small round of applause from the other students, the names began being called. Penny didn't listen. She was so occupied by the grandness of the great hall that when she heard her name called it sounded like it was from the other side of a wall of fog. She snapped out of her dreamy exploration of the hall and moved forward to the stool. She lifted the hat and took a seat silently.  
  
Once she placed the Sorting Hat on her head, she felt it tighten over her scalp. It was an odd sensation and she felt the hair on her neck rise as it started to speak to her.  
  
"Mmm...well well, miss Phoenix!" Penny frowned "Phoenix?" she thought, and the sorting hat's response surprised her "Too pure of heart for Slytherin, too clever still for hufflepuff, fair ravenclaw might be your home, yet bravery's your stuff. Which family will you then calls yours? Might as well be Gryffindor!"  
  
The last word was all that was spoken outside of her mind, the only word the rest of the school heard, but as she removed the hat from her head, the words rang through her mind. Phoenix? Was that her true name? She did not know, to her knowledge she'd never heard her true name spoken but she'd always been called Penny at the orphanage.  
  
To a loud round of applause from Gryffindor she joined the rest of the house under the red and gold banners, and took her seat before a golden plate and goblet, waiting for the rest of the ceremony to finish as Ron congratulated her on her sorting, and Ginny giggled while holding Neville's hand under the table but tried to do it under the pretext of welcoming her.  
  
At last the ceremony came to an end, and the elderly wizard sitting at the center of the large staff table rose to his feet, his long silver gray beard reaching below the tabletop. His voice was whispery, almost as if very little force could be behind it, but his words were heard throughout the hall as everyone grew silent. "I have only a few words to you all. "Firstly, I would like to welcome each of you to your houses. Secondly, the forest surrounding the castle are out of bounds for ALL of Hogwarts students, there will be no exceptions. And lastly, I hope you all enjoy your feast!"  
  
With a wave of his hands food seemed to appear on their plates, various sorts of food that all seemed to be exactly what everyone wanted. Before here was a confusion of various foods, as it had been apparent that she had only had gruel for two days, and eagerly sought a real meal, any real food was welcomed. 


	9. Professor Snape and the Dark Arts

Professor Snape and the Dark Arts  
  
All of the students had left the great hall for the chambers, the first years led in groups by the prefects to their respected houses. Once she was settled in in the girl's dormitory upstairs in the Gryffindor tower, Penny slipped under the covers of her bed, and quickly fell asleep.  
  
The next morning she had more time to pay attention to what was going on around her, as she went from the dormitory to the hall for breakfast, still dressed in her pajamas. She didn't care when a few of the other first years snickered at the shape they were in, because she knew that the reason they were so was because she'd had them for years. Coming from an orphanage she'd grown up proud to be an orphan, and the oldest there, currently.  
  
After breakfast, she bumped into Harry on her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts, and blushed faintly, though without understanding why. She knew Harry saw her blush, but she didn't have time to stop and chat, she mumbled a hello as she quickly moved on toward her class.  
  
As she stepped into the dark dungeon room, she grimaced. It stunk of something decaying down here, and that frightened her. She'd read bits and pieces of "Cursed Through the Ages, an Anthropology of Frequently Used Curses of the Century" a title which she'd had a hard time swallowing. As much as she loved to read, she didn't like text books at all, but it was necessary to plow through them, she knew.  
  
Her first class was with the Hufflepuff students. As she moved in, she sat at a bench by herself, but was quickly joined by another student named Remus Moody. He grinned at her as he slid into the seat, but she turned to face the professor, who turned out to be the dark and greasy looking man from the Staff table last night.  
  
Her great dislike for him seemed to be growing. Perhaps, she thought to herself, if he hadn't been teaching Dark Arts, she'd like him a bit better, but any man who could carry as much hatred in him as he had looked upon Harry with was dangerous. She waited for class to start as a few more first year students filed into the room and Snape lifted his roster into his arms.  
  
"Class, today we will be studying Werewolves. I want each of you to turn to page 213 in your books, and take out parchment. Take Notes." he said, his beady eyes looking around the room at students, as if trying to pick out the trouble makers, and the star pupils. It seemed he was disappointed, as he grouchily asked them "What is the temporary cure to the werewolf curse? Does anyone know what it is called?"  
  
When he received no answer, he raised an eyebrow, his sneering voice raising in slight pitch "oh, really? Does anyone know when the werewolf curse takes effect?" when all he received in response to his questions were silence, Snape rolled his eyes. "Well then,you can go back to your classes and read your books, and grumble because professor Snape has given you 4 feet of parchment on an essay about the history of werewolves and the cure. Spend the rest of class-time today taking notes for your essay. I'll be leaving the room shortly, but I want you all to stay until the end of class. Is that clear?" he asked, before walking down the isle, he paused at the desk where Penny sat, and raised an eye at her. By the time he'd reached her desk, all of the other students had begun copying down notes, but she had watched him walk through the class to her seat. "Yes, miss?"  
  
She smiled softly as she looked up at him, "just as the moon reaches full, sir, and the cure is a potion that not many like to brew...but it holds off the effects of the curse for a short time." She looked back at her parchment, and waited for some sort of response. Why had she not answered when he asked, she wondered, but she herself didn't know the answer.  
  
"Very good, may I ask what your name is and which house you are from then?" Snape's voice seemed to have changed. She almost thought she heard pride there.  
  
"Penny, sir, from Gryffindor." she answered. He grimaced. "Oh, pity. You should have been in Slytherin." he said, then turned to the door and continued out into the corridor. Penny blinked. He had had to know that she wasn't in Slytherin, because the class consisted only of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, so why had he bothered to ask if that had been his reply? 


	10. Flying Time

Flying Time  
  
Twenty minutes later she'd left the room for her next class, and found herself out in the courtyard with Madame Hooch for flying lessons. Lying on the ground were two rows of broomsticks, and the group of Gryffindors were instructed to stand at the foot of the broom, spaced evenly apart.  
  
She walked down the isle between the two rows, and stood at the head of the group. "When I say go, I want you to raise your hand over your broom, and say "UP!" Once your broom rises, mount it, and rise three feet in the air, hover, then ground yourself again."  
  
Much of the class followed her instruction, but at first few seemed to have the hang of it. Penny was among the last to get the broom into her hands, but after mounting it, was one of the first into the air. She hovered for a little longer, perhaps, then she was supposed to but the feeling of being up in the air, supported only by a magic broom as so powerful for her, she felt like she would burst with happiness.  
  
She had never dreamt in all of her time at the orphanage that she could fly, nor, she realised, that she would ever be going to a magical school.  
  
After class, she walked back into the school amidst the croud of first year students who'd just left their class, and saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione sneaking down the hill to a small cottage. Raising an eye, she turned to follow them, having two hours before her next class.  
  
Just as she reached the stairs to the door of the cottage, it opened, and out came barreling a large black shaggy dog and a smaller black less shaggy dog. "Fang, get yer butt back in 'ere!" she heard yelled out past her to one of the two, and the one that paused, she guessed, was Fang. He bared his teeth at her, while the other ran up to her, sniffing her for a moment, before licking her hand once and disappearing into the forest.  
  
"Oh, 'ello" she heard the scruffy voice of someone behind her, and turned to face him. in the doorway of the hut stood a half giant man, with messy black hair, and a face similar to what she would have imagined Santa Claus to look like, a small round nose, and bright red cheeks.  
  
"Erm...hi.." she said, blushing brightly as the giant motioned her closer and asked if he could help her. She bit her lip, looking up at him, oh, where was Harry? She tried to look around the massive bulk of the man, but was disappointed when she saw that she could see nothing behind him except the back of his large furry coat. "I..eh..was just looking for Hermione and Harry and Ron.."  
  
Hagrid's eyes widened as he looked down at the small framed girl before him. "Oh?" He turned around to look into the hut, and saw that Hermione nodded an ok to him. on in 'en.." and he smiled a smile that didn't seem as happy as it should have to Penny.  
  
She followed him in, and looked around at Harry, and Hermione, and Ron..she blushed slightly "I'm sorry to bother you three, but..I..er..-"  
  
Hermione smiled and nodded "It's alright Penny, we don't mind." But Ron and Harry beside her smirked, a strangled sound issuing from one of them that told that at least one disagreed with Hermione, but Harry's eyes had turned to the open door, and the spot where the larger of the two black dogs had disappeared.  
  
Penny looked at him carefully, then turned to Hagrid "Hello sir, I'm Penny. At Hagrid's big smile, Penny relaxed, and stepped inside a bit further. She turned to face the trio, and smiled "I'm sorry to bother you...if I'm bothering you, that is...but, Harry, you said that you didn't know much about platform 9 and 3/4s when you first got here...I wanted to ask you...cause...I'm new to all of this...magic and all. I'd never really thought about there being a whole new world of wizards...and...I ..uh...I was wondering if you could...tell me a bit about it, as well, you know what it's like to be...new.." the entire time she'd been squeezing her hands and trying to think of her next words. She didn't want to sound too geeky, but she needed to know about this world. She had suddenly gone from being in a very small orphanage in the middle of nowhere, to a castle filled with people, each different.  
  
Harry frowned, a hand rushing to his forehead for a moment, before returning to his lap. He looked up at the younger girl standing in front of him. She was tiny, just like all of the other first years. He smiled a little quirked smile, and nodded "Well, come on, lets have a go at it then." Hermione and Ron both smiled too.  
  
Penny smiled with great relief, as Hagrid interrupted to ask "Well then, how are your first classes going then?"  
  
Penny replied, looking up at the massive giant as she was motioned to sit down next to Ron "Classes are going well. My favorite so far was Defense against the Dark Arts with Professor Snape" Her sentence was quickly followed by snickers and frowns from all three of the other students present, and a mild gasp from the Care of Magical Creatures professor.  
  
Ron gaped stupidly at her, while Harry asked why on earth she'd ever say such a thing about Professor Snape. Penny frowned "Why? He seems like a really good teacher."  
  
Hermione responded with a "well, beat that" look at the other two, but no one answered her. Silence descended over the hut for a moment before Hermione rose "Well, it's time we get up to the hall for lunch." 


	11. Potions Awry

Potions Awry  
  
Later into the hours of darkening, Penny sat in Potions with professor Nymphadora Tonks. Little did Penny know of Tonks's history, but the woman seemed very clumsy for a potions professor, and on the few occasions during class that Professor McGonagall popped in to check on her, Professor Tonks seemed to drop whatever she was holding or break a vial nearby by spinning too quickly with her wand in her hand, the collision resulting in a mess of spilt potion.  
  
Professor Tonks was, however, an Auror, and she knew enough about potions to teach the class on the first day about an Energizing potion..which perhaps should have waited a few years, but she was still young enough to remember the things they required students to know for the O.W.Ls in the end of their fifth year.  
  
Penny spent part of the class slowly and carefully chopping mugwart leaves into perfect squares. That is, until Professor Tonks walked behind her and bumped her, making some of them a bit smaller than was required by the recipe. The professor didn't notice, but continued on her way about the room. She grimaced, knowing it would not come out right now. How she knew, she didn't know.  
  
She added the mugwart and started to stir in the powdered newt. Suddenly the potion started bubbling, when on the board it said it wouldn't bubble until after she added the cocoa powder..."Professor Tonks?" she asked, and waited while the professor came around the room again, and looked over her potion, which was green, while the rest of the class's potions were a watery brown. "Well, it looks like you've finished-" but before the professor could finish, Penny interupted with "I think I cut the mugwart wrong, and now it's all funky..what?" Penny asked, "But I haven't got all of the ingredients in there"  
  
Professor Tonks looked at her curiously, but shook her head "Alright, put some of it in a vial and clean up. No points for today Penny."  
  
Penny's heart fell. She'd done so well in all of her other classes, how could she go wrong in potions? It was the closest thing to anything she did at home..she'd been helping in the kitchens since she was old enough to wield a ladle.  
  
She left the class after being assigned a foot of parchment on the proper use of mugwart and the length of it's effectfulness. 


	12. Romantic Quidditch

Romantic Quidditch  
  
The month went by rather quickly, and before she knew it, word of the coming Quidditch match had gone around. Quidditch, Ron had explained to her, was the best known sport of the wizard world where a team of seven flew about on broomsticks trying to get a "Quaffle" through three hoops on either end of the field in order to score points for their team.  
  
She had given up altogether on trying to follow him when he said something about the snitch being caught, which in her opinion was just wrong. Sometimes you just had to be the taddle tale and publicly humiliating a snitch wasn't going to make them stop doing it.  
  
Ron had given up trying to explain it to her, and told her that when she got to see the first match it would make more sense.  
  
When the time for the match finally did roll around, Penny had turned her acquaintances into fast friends, and her enemies into serious enemies. She could not imagine ever speaking to Draco Malfoy on friendly terms.  
  
It was to her great surprise then, that Malfoy approached her the afternoon before the Quidditch game and asked her if she'd be willing to accompany him to the Yuletide Ball. She hesitated, but figured that an eye into an unknown world would not hurt. Her answer was a confident yes, and Malfoy's grin concerned her as he walked away, his friends Crabbe and Goyle both snickering on either side of him.  
  
She wondered what that was all about as she walked to the Quidditch Pitch, and moved up into the stands with Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottum, two of the other members of the "Followers of Harry Potter" group. She wondered what was so special about him that he had gained such a following.  
  
It was halfway through the match, while she watched intently from the stands, that it dawned on her why Malfoy would ask her to the ball. He wanted to make someone jealous..but who would be jealous of a boy who took a first year orphan to the ball? She asked herself the same question repeatedly throughout the rest of the evening. What was she to do? Could she back out of it?  
  
Luna looked at her oddly as she mumbled something under her breath, and Neville totally ignored that she was even there. She shrugged, and turned her attention back to the Quidditch match, but the idea of Draco Malfoy asking her to the Yuletide Ball was a bit amazing and lingered in her mind over the next two months. 


	13. Hogwarts, A History

_Hogwarts, A History_

Less than a week after the quidditch match, won by the hufflepuffs against the ravenclaws, Penny learned just who Harry was. She'd left her room after she'd finished her potions scroll, to do some research on werewolves for her Defense Against the Dark Art's class.

She walked down the empty corridors, not knowing exactly where she was going. She'd only been to the library once, with Hermione, who had for some reason brightened up a lot in the short time they were there.

As the halls echoed she suddenly realized that she was in the wrong corridor and she heard footsteps ahead. She stopped in her tracks looking around her and hoping to find that she was in a place where she had been before, somewhere that she couldn't get in trouble for being.

As the first foot moved around the corner, she gasped, and stood up straight, deciding if she was caught where she shouldn't be, at this point, there was nothing she could do about it...but it was the foot of a student-and only the foot of a student?

As the foot came around the corner it stopped in front of her. Suddenly something silver flickered around it, and fell to the ground around the figures of two students. Harry and Ron smirked at her sideways as the last piece of the invisibility cloak was shed, from Harry's shoulder, coming to rest in his arm.

"Well now, what are YOU doing out of bed?" Harry asked and was quickly echoed by "Blimey we're not the only ones." which came from Ron at his surprise that he and Harry were not the only students that went creeping around the school down unused corridors.

Penny blinked widely 'What? Not the only what?"

Ron smirked again, his freckles forming straight lines instead of being chaotically spread around his face as his face twisted.

"What are you two doing hiding under that..thing?" she asked, "what is it anyway?" Ron gave her the "you really are daft, aren't you?" look, and she rolled her eyes at him, looking to Harry who she trusted would answer her. He smiled, and started into the story of the cloak, how he'd first gotten it, and why.

As he explained about his parents, and lord Voldemort, and the many rises to power he'd tried to make, Harry went through a variation of expressions, ending with silence and depression. She sighed, and shook herself awake. He had a somewhat soothing voice.

"I'm Sorry to hear that you had to go through that Harry." was all she could say before the sound of Filch's cat, Mrs Norris, meowing echoed around the corridor, and Harry and Ron pulled her surprisingly under the Invisibility cloak to hide from Filch and Norris.


	14. November Snows Bring Surprises

_November Snows Bring Surprises_

Snow fell in the first week of November, making many of the students grumpy about having to stay indoors, but Harry and Ron, to Penny's dismay, took to asking her about girl's opinions, and attitudes, and what they should do if they wanted to ask a girl to the ball.

The only advice she chose to give was that they had better ask someone soon, before all the options were taken. Hermione, who was reading a book about Divinations, (to Harry and Ron's surprise) turned to smirk at them, as they tried to shrug off the "I told you so" eyes she gave them.

One night as they all sat around the fire talking about homework, Penny laughing as the boys asked Hermione for help instead of putting in a little more effort, a head popped into the fire suddenly. It was an odd sight, to see a head with no connected limbs attached. It faded out quickly as it made a momentary eye contact with her. She looked wide eyed at the others, and asked "Wha...what was that?" pointing at the fire, fighting the mumbling words she tried to say properly.

Harry and Ron startled, and looked over to where she pointed, but Hermione laughed and said "Sirius, it's alright..she's a friend." Penny's jaw dropped. What was this all about. Harry seemed to relax even more now, and turned to face the fire. "She's right Sirius, come on back."

Seconds later the head reappeared, and Penny tried not to stare at the unnattached extremity. It was hard to believe such a thing was possible.

Sirius greeted Harry with a grin, and Ron with a laugh as Ron looked up from another round of making up future sufferings for Divinations with Trelawney. "Harry, do you think I should get run over by a giant cat, or hit by a Nightbus next week?" Penny rolled her eyes at this, and Hermione must have too, for Sirius had to blink, and looked from one to the other with an "I don't believe there's another one!" look. Hermione snickered and moved closer to the edge of her chair.

"Sirius, this is Pe-"

"Phoenix..." Sirius interupted Hermione's attempt at an introduction. "I should have known you'd be old enough to attend Hogwart's this year." He looked satisfied at this, and turned toward Harry without commenting furthur. "Dumbledore's got a few surprises up his beard yet..!" he smiled again, and turned once again to Penny.

She shook her head, confused. How was it that all of Hogwarts seemed to know who she was, yet she did not?

Unfortunately, Hermione rose, and ushered them all off to bed, with a glance to Sirius and Harry that said they were exempt from the scrutiny of the prefect.


	15. Dressing in Magic Part1

Dressing In Magic

November passed with exams lingering on everyone's mind as they studied and studied. Finally, the holidays neared, and the students who were staying, which was every fifth year, and up, and all of their dates, began to talk about the yule tide ball.

It barely dawned on her that she didn't have anything to wear. She was one of few first years going to the yuletide. There was at least one other from each of the houses, Peter Patil from Hufflepuff, Angelina Wood from Ravenclaw, and Sandra Simpson from Slytherin, and one or two others she didn't know.

One night Penny had gone to the library to finish a parchment for Professor Snape, when Hermione joined her at the table, with a stack of books, among which were the topics of Herbology, History, and Runes. She smirked, and asked if Hermione ever stopped reading.

Hermione grinned "Of course not, but that's why I'm a prefect, right? Say, what are you wearing to the ball?" Suddenly the look on her face had turned to somewhat uneasy.

Penny's eyes widened with the realization that she hadn't thought about it, nor did she own a single nice dress. She only owned two simple outfits of dull colors from the orphanage, and her school uniform. "uh..I..uh..I don't know." She blushed softly with the realization that Malfoy would be taking her to the ball, and she still had no gown...but there was a Hogsmeade weekend before the ball! She'd just have to find some way to buy a gown then! With a weak smile she told Hermione her theory.

Her red haired friend shook her head as Crookshanks, Hermione's cat familiar, pounced on little Farewell, and nearly frightened the poor kitten to death with his overly large playfulness. Penny sighed and Hermione laughed "I've got the perfect spell!"

With a blink, Penny turned from the cat's play to Hermione, and her head tipped anxiously to the side "For what?"

Hermione laughed again, 'For your dress, of course. I'll need your sizes but I think I'll have the perfect dress for you. Do you know what color dress robes your date will be wearing?"

Penny shook her head again, realizing she hadn't seen nor heard from Draco since he'd asked her to the ball. Was he only joking then? Would he stand her up at the ball? She pushed away her doubts, and looked at Hermione who was still looking at her expectantly. "Aren't you going to tell me who you're going with, Penny?"

When she shook her head again, Hermione sighed. "Oh, Alright. How's dark red for you? It will accent your lips nicely, and bring out the tones of your eyes too. I suppose he'll probably be wearing a nice dark green or black anyway, and red will go nicely with that."

A/N: This chapter was originally stated to be a continuation, and noted that the chapter following was the part two. However, this has changed. Please keep an eye out for notes regarding edited chapters and changing pieces of story.)


	16. Hogsmeade Surprise

Hogsmeade Surprise

Penny's concerns about not having a dress disappeared after Hermione mentioned it. The last few weeks before the ball passed quickly, and the weekend of the hogsmeade visit caught Penny off guard. When she woke to the sound of someone scuffing about the room, she drew aside the curtains to find Hermione standing just beside her bed as if she'd been slapped.

"Hermione?" she asked quietly so as not to wake the other first years in the dorm. When Hermione handed her a piece of shimmering fabric, and a note, then disappeared back through the doorway of the first years dorm, Penny couldn't make heads or tales of the situation. Unfolding the parchment, Penny read the note scripted in Hermione's neat handwriting.

Penny,

Be sure to destroy this letter after you read it....if Filch or Prof. Snape found it, we'd all be in a ton of trouble, and Ron and I would lose our prefect badges.

Penny smirked to herself as she thought "not much to Ron's disappointment if he could get Hermione to leave him be!"

This cloak is an invisibility cloak. When you put it on, the material makes the wearer invisible, but not non-existant. This means that if you wear it, someone can still walk into you, but they can't see you.

We should tell you why we're giving this to you then. Inside the cloak is another peice of parchment. Tap it with your wand and say "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Put the cloak on, and follow the path marked in red. We'll meet you at the other end of it...and if you come across a big black dog, don't be afraid of him. He won't hurt you.

Be sure to destroy this!

Hermione, Harry, Ron

She tore the letter and put it in her cauldron, setting it ablaze with the magick fire spell Hermione had taught her. She waited for the students to finish filing out on their way to hogsmeade, but before the last student had handed Filch their hogsmeade permission slips, Penny had slipped the cloak on, tapped the map, and moved in invisible silence to the location of the first red mark on the map.

There was only one instant when Penny had to stop and hide, and that was when Professor Trelawney was walking along the corridor to meet the other teachers for the usual trip to Hogsmeade's most used cafe/pub.

She stepped silently into a small room and waited for Prof. Trelawney to walk by before returning to the corridor and continuing on her way.

Her arrival at the end of the marked path was announced to three students who sat with their heads facing the street of Hogsmeade by a large shaggy black dog, who yipped out a welcome and nearly pounced Penny to the ground, but stopped last minute to save himself from looking the idiot for attacking thin air.

They slipped up a pathway that seemed to lead away from the village of Hogsmeade and to a run down shack on the top of a hill. There had not yet been any snow, so fear of her footprints being seen was small, and the only one who seemed concerned was Hermione, who was always concerned that they'd get caught.

The Shreiking Shack was empty, as they had expected it would be, and still showed no signs of teenage abuse. Sirius shifted to his human form, and wrapped an arm around Phoenix, who shrank away from his arm uncomfortably. Who was this strange man? Why did he know her name? And what did she have to do with Albus Dumbledore and his tricks?

Sirius released her as soon as he felt her draw away. So, Dumbledore had told the poor girl nothing. She didn't know what she was yet, nor what it meant for the wizarding world. He wondered if she'd ever cried...

Harry introduced them formally, then the three of them, Harry Ron and Hermione said they were leaving, and disappeared back the way they had come, leaving Penny and Sirius to sit in silence. For the first ten minutes or so, Penny looked around the first floor of the house. She hated to admit that she was afraid to be left alone with the strange animagi. His dog form was frightening, and in human form he didn't look much better.

When Sirius finally broke the silence, he flopped into a chair near a broken and dusty fireplace, surrounding himself with a flurry of dust. "So, Miss Phoenix, it looks as though we two are stuck here..I'm surprised those three would have you come all this way to get stuck in this old place." he said with a smirk in his eyes, but a blank expression on his face.

She grimmaced, looking at him with an accusatory glare "What do you know about me? Why does everyone keep calling me Phoenix?" She asked quite loudly, causing Sirius to glance around at the windows to make sure no one had heard her. "Sorry lass, I'm not the one to tell you, you'll have to talk to the headmaster about that." he smirked again, and she glared at him. The half hour that followed as spent in silence. Phoenix drew pictures in the dust on the floor and Sirius thumbed through a few books that had somehow found their way into the shack.

When the silence was once again broken it was to the sound of the others coming back, and Sirius dropping a book in surprise at their entrance. Hermione looked from one to the other of the house's temporary prisoners and scowled "There's been an alert, Sirius, you've got to go, and so've you Penny, safest if you go on back to the school the way you came...Filch doesn't know about that passageway yet.

Penny's trip back to the castle was silent, and full of anxiety. What had the alert been about? She didn't have to wait long to learn. Someone had spotted the Animagi dog, and reported it, and the authorities had been called in to search for Sirius Black.

A/N: There will be some changes to the entire story, as soon as I figure out where I edited things. Please be sure to keep an eye out. I will put a new authors note at the end of any chapter I change, stating that it has been changed for anyone who wants to reread it. The next few chapters are tentative, but I have them, so I'll post them. Keep in mind that the Dressing In Magic Part two may be pushed back furthur in the story to accomodate a continuation to this plotline.)


	17. Dressing in Magic, Part 2

Dressing in Magic, Part 2

When the day of the ball finally hit, Hermione dragged Penny from her studies in the library, early, to the girl's dormitory at the top of Gryffindor tower. She cloaked her in an oozing layer of a magic potion Penny was unfamiliar with, and spoke an incantation Penny didn't catch because she was spinning around in circles. When she finally stopped spinning, Hermione was gaping at her.

She widened her eyes in horror at first, afraid of what she'd see because of Hermione's surprised look, but as her friend steered her toward the mirror, her eyes widened further in astonishment. From her head to her feet she was dressed in a beautiful dark red gown with gold beaded trim. The waistline was accented softly by gold beads embroidered into the dress robe.

"Oh Hermione! I can't thank you enough! Dra...uh...my date's going to be so surprised!"

Hermione snickered softly. She'd caught Penny about to say Draco, and it didn't surprise her at all that Draco had been the first to ask out this pretty girl named Penny. She was quite surprised that Penny had had no more than Malfoy's invitation to the ball, for even as a small girl, Penny was developed nicely, and she had the swaying hips that attracted so many stares, including a few from professors three or four times her age. On top of all that, she lacked the usual acne problems common to first and second year students.

Hermione nodded, "Sit down and I'll fix your hair. The Gown will last until well after the ball is over, but once you take it off, it will fade. You'll need to take a shower and clean up once it does, because you'll be sticky. That's one of those things I couldn't avoid with the spell, but I doubted you could pull enough gold from your pockets to buy a dress robe. Tell me if I'm wrong in assuming that?"

Penny remained silent while Hermione braided and pinned her hair into a delicate plait on the top of her head, and laced that with some of the material, chanting a quick spell with her wand aimed at it. A few gold beads and some red ribbon laced itself into the braids and accented her hair a little more.

Hermione grinned, and motioned to her bag of makeup. "Go ahead and pick whichever things you think you want to wear while I dress, I'll help you put some on when I am through..I wouldn't advise trying it on your own if this is your first time." she warned as she disappeared and reappeared with her own dark green dressing gown.

She picked up the bag and looked at the selection that Penny had dragged out of it. "Good choices..do you need help?" she asked, but Penny shook her head no. She knew enough about makeup to know that all that was needed was a dusting..a small amount that was visible only to someone who knew what to look for.


	18. The Feast of Yuletide

Feast of Yuletide

Hermione parted from the girl's dormitory a bit early for the feast, and left Penny to examine herself in the mirror. She didn't consider herself pretty, it is a flaw most girls have, and she was no exception, she told herself. She smiled softly at the delicate hint of makeup she wore, but the shadow of doubt about her date still lingered in her eyes as she made her way to the Gryffindor Common.

When the bell for the students to make their way to the feast rang, Penny rose softly, her dark red gown smoothed down as she made her way through the portal and along the corridors to the feast. She walked with her head canted ever so slightly to the side, her shadowed eyes cast downward as she walked, and it was thus that Draco found her.

As he approached her, he could not help but think that whatever troubled her made her twice the beautiful young woman she was, though she was five years younger than he. His father had ridiculed him for asking a first year to the ball, but he was mesmerized by her beautiful features. He'd made himself scarce to her because every time he thought about her, he blushed, and Crabbe and Goyle need not see him so.

He stepped to her side without her noticing, and tentatively touched her arm "Penny?" He waited in silence for her to speak, and it was a long moment before she withdrew from her reverie and focused on his presence.

"OH! Draco!" she smiled, suddenly looking up from the floor, and he blushed, realizing that she was three times her beautiful self when she smiled. Her eyes were dazzling and her smile, so delicately accented with a blood red lipstick drew his eyes to her lips.

She wrapped her arm around his, and let him steer her toward the great hall for the feast before the ball. She chattered absently while they walked, and he nodded, or responded as he deemed fit. As they entered the Great Hall they were greeted with near silence and whispers as those who had barely caught a glimpse of Draco's young beauty gaped at her, or cursed him internally for being so lucky to have such a treasure on his arm for the night.

Harry, who was escorting Cho Chang rolled his eyes and said "No wonder she hasn't wanted to tell anyone." in a bored tone to Chang, who eyed the younger girl with a smile. "She'll do alright by him this once, I'd say. I think he's got most of the guys in the hall jealous already." She was rewarded with a gulp from Harry as he turned away from both her, and the entering couple.


	19. Yuletide Ball

The Yuletide Ball

They took their seat at Draco's table, instead of hers, for, even Penny knew, Harry, who sat at the Gryffindor table with cho Chang, and Draco did not get along. When Crabbe and Goyle joined them, Penny could not help but be surprised that they also had first years for dates.

One of the girls she didn't know, and couldn't remember seeing since the sorting hat ceremony months ago. The other was Suzie Dintell, who had come from Hungary to study. She still could not tell Crabbe and Goyle apart, so she didn't try. As the feast was announced by Professor McGonagall, she turned to look at her date, who appeared to be smirking at Harry Potter across the tables. The glare he was receiving in return confused Penny, but there was nothing she could do in return but perhaps distract Draco.

"Draco, how have you been these last two months? I haven't seen you around?"

When he turned to look at her, she lost her confidence in his look of disgust. "That's because you've been spending all your time with that mudblood and her friends..." he responded, but the look faded quickly when he finished speaking, and he tried to smile, "But I'm glad you came with me." he said, somewhat possessively. The tone in his voice attracted a few glances from boys down the table. Penny didn't understand their looks.

Nothing to note happened during the ball. They danced the waltz, and other minor ball dances, a few students performed an Irish Jig, and that was it. Even Harry and Draco seemed able to avoid each other for the evening. As the ball came to an end, and students slowly started to file off to bed, Draco led Penny up a few flights of stairs to a room she'd never been in before.

With a soft smile he moved closer to her, and gently placed a kiss on her lips. At ten years old, she was unsure of what was happening, far too young to understand his motives until he pushed her against a wall, and his weight against hers started to frighten her.


End file.
